Zambia’s Former President Edgar Lungu Dies at 68

Zambia is mourning the passing of its sixth president, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, who died early Thursday morning in Pretoria, South Africa. He was 68.

Lungu had been undergoing specialized medical treatment for an undisclosed illness, according to a statement by the Patriotic Front (PF), the party he once led.

His daughter, Tasila Lungu, confirmed his death in a heartfelt video, saying he passed away at 06:00 local time while under close medical supervision.

“In this moment of grief, we invoke the spirit of ‘One Zambia, One Nation’—the timeless creed that guided President Lungu’s service to our country,” she said emotionally.

A lawyer by profession, Lungu’s political journey began in 2011 when he won a parliamentary seat under the PF banner.

Within just a few years, he rose through the ranks—first serving as deputy minister in the vice-president’s office, then moving on to hold key cabinet posts including home affairs, defence, and justice.

His big break came in 2015 when he assumed the presidency following the death of then-President Michael Sata. He won a closely contested special election, then secured a full five-year term in 2016.

However, Lungu’s presidency was marked by economic challenges, rising unemployment, and growing public dissatisfaction. In 2021, he was soundly defeated by opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema, losing by nearly a million votes.

Following the election, Lungu initially announced his retirement from politics, but made a dramatic return in 2023, claiming the need to defend democracy.

“I am ready to fight from the front, not from the rear,” he declared at the time, reigniting political tensions in the country.

His comeback was cut short in 2024 when Zambia’s Constitutional Court ruled that he had already served two presidential terms, effectively barring him from running again.

Despite the controversy, Lungu remained a formidable figure in Zambian politics and a beloved leader among PF loyalists. Friends and colleagues have remembered him as a “good foot-soldier, lawyer, and politician,” as well as a devoted father, husband, and grandparent.

Born on 11 November 1956, Lungu earned his law degree from the University of Zambia in 1981 and also completed military training at the Miltez Army College in Kabwe.

Before politics, he worked in legal practice and held posts at Barclays Bank and the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines.

Zambia now reflects on a complex legacy—one shaped by ambition, service, and the turbulent journey of leadership.